The Longest Night
by GreyCatsidhe
Summary: Sasuke finally allowed Sakura to join him on his journey of redemption. They travel to the Land of Snow and take shelter in an abandoned cabin during a blizzard. Spurred on by a need to survive, Sakura suggests they share warmth. This takes place during the blank period following the war.
1. Chapter 1

He wanted to travel with her, so when Sakura followed him from Konoha, Sasuke was relieved. Asking required so much emotion, and he wasn't fully prepared to undo the metaphorical seal over his heart just yet.

Sakura was a ray of sunshine on the dreariest days, and he especially appreciated her as they headed into the Land of Snow. Sasuke heard rumors of a strange rabbit shaped _bas relief_ in the mountains, and he was determined to analyze it with his eyes. Each day, they trekked through wintry trails where snow hung from trees in thick valances. Towns, even hamlets, were few and far between in this country, so precision and preparedness were required.

"Sakura," he started, lifting his legs higher and higher to trudge through the snow drifts. They were nearly up to their knees. "This weather will delay us reaching the village until well after nightfall."

She steeled her expression and nodded once. Sasuke noticed the way she pulled her heavy _shinobi _cloak closer around her head to keep the snow out.

"Sakura," he said, stopping.

She paused and looked at him. There it was. Now that she had to face him, he could observe the way her lips trembled, even as she bit down on the pink flesh. The muscles around his eyes softened, and something akin to a smile rippled across his face. She was persevering on his behalf, never wanting to hold him back on his quest even if it meant her own discomfort.

_Annoying._

"We should find shelter. The temperature is dropping."

"I'm fine, Sasuke-kun," Sakura said. "I can use my chakra control to protect my nerves. I think I can extend some to you if-"

"No. Preserve your energy." He paused to spin around, his powerful sharingan activated. "There's a building east of us. Come."

They located the old home easily thanks to its chimney. The log building snuggled into a crest of trees beside a clearing. The howling wind battered against one side, slapping a layer of snow against the wall. The fact that it stuck, and the lack of smoke or light, made them both relieved and weary.

Sakura knocked anyway. "Hello?" she called. "We're Konoha _shinobi_. Is anyone here? If you need help, I'm a medic."

Sasuke turned slightly, hiding his smirk from her. He'd gone so long distancing himself from his relationship with The Leaf. Whenever Sakura identified him as such, it made his heart flutter. "Nobody's home. There aren't any chakra signatures."

She wiggled the doorknob and the entrance squealed open. "It doesn't hurt to check."

The cabin was dark yet cozy. Sasuke could easily navigate. "If anyone lived here, they haven't been back for some time." He ran a finger over the dusty table.

Sakura pulled a small flashlight from her pouch. The circle of light slowly spun around the single room. Besides the dusty table were two chairs. Two cabinet doors clung awkwardly to their hinges, revealing emptiness. A few pots and pans hung from pegs by a modest fireplace. "You think it was abandoned during the war?"

"Or after. With the uptick in bandits and disillusioned shinobi, it's safer in villages or cities. There's nothing of value here. Not even fuel for a fire. I'm going to check the shed I saw."

Sakura examined the floor as Sasuke slipped out. Though dusty, she didn't notice any droppings. "Not even enough food or warmth for mice." Though it was great to be out of the biting wind, the cabin was frigid. She stooped before the fireplace and shined her light into the hearth, opening the damper. It refused to budge at first and needed a chakra-enhanced tug to pry open.

Sasuke reappeared with some planks of wood. "It's not much. How's that look?"

"Kind of dirty. I think there's a bird nest clogging it."

Sasuke leaned in to get a better look. "You're right. A few of them."

"You don't happen to have a chimney brush in your summoning tattoos, do you?" she chuckled, nodding toward his wrists.

"No, but I bet a small _rasenshuriken _could do the trick." He flashed her a proud smirk.

"That's too dangerous!" she clucked, earning a rare surprised expression from Sasuke. "That's a powerful technique! Without precise chakra control, you'll smash the whole house beyond use!"

His grin returned. "That's where you come in."

She blinked and a dusty patch of rose blossomed over her cheeks. "M-me?"

"Aa."

Her heart beat. Not only working beside Sasuke, but coordinating a move with him? It would be a dream come true, even if it were outside the battlefield. "But… but that's not even your chakra nature!"

He chuckled. "I've fought Naruto enough to get the gist. Come here. Put your hand under mine."

Sakura shuffled beside him. She could feel the warmth radiating out of his arm as she slid her left hand beneath his right. Their breaths, visible in the flashlight, mingled into one. Sakura became lost in the beauty of it.

"Ready?" Sasuke asked, breaking the trance.

Her face grew hot, a refreshing sensation in the cold. "Ahuh. I'll start by pooling some of my chakra into your hand so you can get a sense for it."

He'd felt it before, especially while recovering in the hospital following the loss of his left arm. She'd spent hours sending wave after wave of her cooling chakra into his mangled flesh. She'd stitched his skin, moulded his nerves back together, and poured relief into the stump until he could almost drift off to sleep believing he was beneath a sakura tree in spring.

He'd missed those times, but his wounded pride took him away from her again and again. He had much to atone for, and he wanted to feel he deserved her love. Now that she was beside him, alone with him, he knew that time was swiftly approaching. The fact that he consented to her presence spoke volumes, and Sakura seemed aware at the implications. Truthfully, it made him blush if he contemplated it for too long. A thick tension had been building between them, like a spring wound tight, but Sasuke didn't know how to address it without sounding perverted like the _dobe_, or clueless like a child.

Now with Sakura's soft palm pressed against his rough knuckles, her green chakra seeping into his fingers, he felt that spring coil taughtly. He exhaled a puff of air and worked to maintain his chakra.

The trained medic sensed his anxiety. "Are you okay?"

"Aa. Ready?"

She nodded, and he sent a rush of windy chakra down his arm and out his palm. It spiraled into a small ball. Sakura pumped more of her chakra into him, desperate to grapple with the dense sphere of energy. When Sasuke's work threatened to expand or skitter away, she held it. Glancing at her partner, she noticed him wincing as he struggled to maintain the chakra nature and not let his usual electric current run through him.

"Okay," he panted, "almost ready." The ball spun faster as blades sprouted. It elevated in his palm, maintaining its diminutive size thanks to Sakura's control. "I want to widen it. Just enough to sweep the chimney."

Sakura relinquished some of her hold. Sasuke's power quickly ballooned the _rasenshuriken _to three times its original size. "Perfect." He glanced at her to signal his readiness. She made eye contact and nodded. Her green irishes burned with fortitude and pride at their teamwork. Sasuke pushed it to the back of his mind for now and returned to the task at hand. Together, the sent the whirling technique spiraling up, forcing the blockage through the flue.

The pair slumped, panting, back onto the floor. Sakura looked over at Sasuke, indulging in a moment of admiration. He was flash and power. The man could create a purple giant of chakra and explosions large enough to erode whole waterfalls. It was adorable seeing him strain to hold his force in check. It reminded her of their early days together, training to walk up tree trunks.

Sasuke turned toward the green eyes he knew were watching him. Despite the cold, a sheen of sweat made Sakura's face glow. He knew she was powerful enough to crush mountains and punch a goddess, and he knew, more than many, just how exact her chakra control was when it came to medical procedures, but to see her use it in conjunction with his own abilities, to create something together… He recalled when she worked with Obito to save him from Kaguya's sand dimension. She was amazing, and he wanted more of her.

He had to look away. What they'd done together was intimate, and he didn't know what to say. The wooden floor creaked as Sakura shifted away. Though at a loss for words, he lamented the space between them.

"I'll unpack the kettle and prepare some tea and soup if you get a fire going."

Sasuke hummed in agreement. He arranged the wood he'd found and got it started with a low-level _katon_. "I'll get more wood from the shed."

When he returned, he found that she'd already set up their camp tripod, kettle, and cooking pot. When he traveled alone, Sasuke lived simply. He used what was around him, but Sakura required a certain level of civilization. Why he never thought to travel with a summoning scroll of camping equipment before was beyond him, but he was glad for her foresight.

He watched as she emptied a packet of dehydrated vegetables and seasonings into melted snow she gathered. The fire crackled, and the smoke moved through the chimney without any obstruction. He wanted to tell her how strong and capable she'd become, how he admired her, but the words caught in his throat. What would any of that mean after all the space he'd put between them over the years? He worried it would sound dismissive, as if it took something as mundane as clearing ratty bird nests to notice her many attractive qualities.

"Sasuke-kun," she said, breaking through his brooding, "What we did together…"

A thick silence spread between them. They'd done something. Together. Alone and for no other reason than to comfort the other.

Finally, Sakura sighed. "I liked it. I mean… I was happy to do something like that with you. Tsunade-_shishou_ once told me that synchronizing chakra is really difficult, and that many _jonin _even struggle to do it."

Sasuke smirked at her. At first, she worried he was going to gloat about how he wasn't just any _shinobi_, but he startled her when he said, "I'm not surprised you can do it."

She turned her face to try and hide her blush. She didn't want to annoy Sasuke with her girlish reactions, so she missed his pleased smile.

"We do make a good team," he admitted. She turned back to him, her lips and eyes equally round. He scratched behind his neck with his one hand and had to look away.

Sakura giggled softly. "Hey, Sasuke-kun, I wonder what else we can do together!" He turned back to her, his eyebrows up so high his long bangs concealed them. "I mean," she squeaked, "with our chakra! With training! Ugh!" She buried her face in her hands.

Sasuke's deep hum sounded like a contented cat's purr. "Aa. I've thought about it."

"Really?" Sakura's face jerked back to his, but he'd already turned from her to ladle some soup into his wooden bowl.

"_Itadakimasu_," he murmured, and that was the end of the discussion for the time being.

They ate together in companionable silence. All the while, a blizzard howled outside the cabin. Between the window shutters, their soup, and the humble fire, they remained comfortable. The sun had gone down hours ago, though it was hard to tell through the thick clouds and sheets of falling snow. Their pile of fuel dwindled so they let the flames die down to embers. They set their sleeping matts a safe distance from the hearth.

For a long time, they stared up at the dusty ceiling, barely visible to Sakura in the dim light. Sasuke could make out every cobweb, every soulless exoskeleton floating in the once lifeless home.

"Do you think someone lived here alone?" Sakura whispered through the darkness.

"Hm. Maybe. It is small."

"It must have been lonely out here."

A sudden blast of icy air howled, shaking the cabin. Sakura sat up with alarm. Even Sasuke activated his sharingan just in case. A tendril forced its way down the flue, briefly sparking the flames to life, then snuffing them out.

They found themselves in complete darkness. Sasuke turned to Sakura and saw her clutch the blanket to her chest with alarm.

Sasuke sat up. "I'll see what else I can dismantle in the shed."

Sakura's flashlight sliced through the gloom. She made her way to a shuttered window and peeked out. A wall of snow obscured the world beyond. "It's a whiteout. For all you know, whatever's left of the shed is buried."

He frowned. "The warmth will soon dissipate." The stern look he gave her failed to belie his concern for his once soft, vulnerable teammate.

"Don't tell me you've already forgotten my healing skills! Warming a victim is one of my many talents. It's especially important in cases of hypothermia or shock. Now come here!" Her no-nonsense medic tone didn't allow for any complaints.

Sasuke knelt in front of her, unsure what she was about to do. She sat on her sleeping mat again. The reality of the situation and what she was about to suggest hurtled into her, cracking the stony exterior she so often donned in the hospital. Her cheeks burned, rivaling the flames that had existed only moments before.

"This is awkward, Sasuke-kun," she squeaked, "but I need you to lie down beside me. We'll share warmth the natural way, and I'll amplify my own body heat."

Sasuke clenched his jaw. "Is this how you comfort shock victims?"

She chortled and shook her head. "Of course not! But since we're in such a cold environment, and we're trying to get some rest… it only makes sense…" Her green eyes fluttered sideways.

"Fine. How are we doing this?"

She blinked at him. "Just…lie down? Here, let's share both blankets for more warmth. Now, I guess, you be the big spoon."

"The what?"

Sasuke wasn't prepared for Sakura to lie down and scoot her back against his chest. The moment she did, an unnatural heat throttled into him. His body stiffened and he sucked in his breath.

This was going to be a long night.

**Author's Note:**

Hello readers! It's been awhile! I appreciate all the likes, follows, and comments I continue to get for "Touch." Some days, it's easy to feel inadequate as a writer. I've been busy working on my original manuscript and sending it out to agents and publishers. Your positive feedback has kept me going!

Some good news for those interested in my writing career: I just submitted my full manuscript to a publisher who was intrigued with the first three chapters. It's not a guarantee, but it's nice to know someone wants to look at more. I also had a short story published in an ezine dedicated to polytheism and animism. So that's really cool. Even better, I got paid for it! I can now say I'm a paid author!

I know many of you hope for a sequel to "Touch." I haven't given up on doing that, but this is not it. The idea for this fanfic has been rolling around in my head for some time. It will be short (no more than 3-4 chapters), but I hope you enjoy it. We have a lot of snow here, so I decided it was time to make this idea come to life.

Thanks for the continued support! Expect an update soon. (When I'm not frantically trying to meet my NaNoWriMo goals…)


	2. Chapter 2

2

When Sasuke returned to the village after his two years wandering in pursuit of redemption, he first went to the Hokage tower to check in, then he went to find Sakura. He knew she was waiting. Naruto had said as much in his letter, and Sasuke was touched that she not only remembered his family's connection to the military police force but compared his work outside the village to the institution's old role. It warmed his heart that she could associate not only him but his cursed family with something positive and beneficial to Konoha.

"I shouldn't do this," Kakashi said that night as he slid out of his Hokage robe. "So, I'll do it as your sensei, trusting you in the well-being of our fellow members of Team Seven."

Sasuke distinctly remembered rolling his eyes at the man's performative nostalgia. Kakashi delighted in needling Sasuke with sentimentality. Still, he was curious about Kakashi's meaning, and he watched as the older man scribbled something on a loose sheet of paper.

"Here."

Sasuke took it and examined the lazy handwriting. "An address?"

Kakashi's eyes wrinkled with amusement. "Sakura's apartment."

Looking back, Sasuke was relieved Naruto hadn't been in the room. He would have never let Sasuke live down his reaction. Thankfully, Kakashi never mentioned how the lone Uchiha broke into a brief coughing fit.

His mentor thumped Sasuke's back. "There, there. You want to see her, right? I remember you promised you'd see her when you return."

"But… it's night."

Kakashi's eyes twinkled. "If you read more of my recommended literature, you'd know this is the perfect time for a rendezvous."

Sasuke scowled. If Kakashi wasn't the Hokage with _anbu _guards perched outside his office, the former avenger would have punched him. Instead, he found himself stammering. "I'm not… I wouldn't…" He chalked his loss of words up to travel fatigue.

"I know, I know," Kakashi chuckled. "I've received all your reports and heard even more from travelers and the other Kage. You've grown into an honorable man. I'm proud of you. We all are."

The way his visible eyebrow quirked suggested that Sakura was the proudest of all.

"Aa." Sasuke lowered his chin and looked at the address once more.

"Go on. She's waiting for you."

Sasuke nodded then took off through the window.

It was no surprise that her apartment was near the hospital. He sensed her warm chakra as he approached the door. She was home, probably relaxing after a long day at work. Kakashi had heard about his exploits, but Sasuke was also privy to some information about his old team. Sakura had a reputation for selfless labor, and he knew, from Naruto's letters, that she worked herself to exhaustion.

He wrapped his lone hand on her door and took a deep breath. He hadn't thought of what he should say to her. If he was honest, he had avoided her since he left and poked her forehead. Affection was new and somewhat embarrassing to him. It was amazing enough that he had worked up the nerve to do it, but after all she'd done to rehabilitate him, he wanted to show her, somehow, that he cared and returned her affection to some degree.

The door opened and Sakura looked up at him with her wide, green eyes. A familiar burst of pink erupted below, turning her into the very image of her namesake.

"Sasuke-kun!" she gasped.

"Sakura, I'm home," he said, the traditional greeting tumbling from his lips before he could think of anything else to say. A memory of him scurrying over his childhood threshold and cheerfully announcing his return to his mother came to him. Ever since his parents' death, he'd stopped saying it. A lump formed in his throat as he realized how long it had been.

Sakura's chest inflated, and her eyes grew impossibly wide and glossy with tears. Without warning, she folded him into a tight embrace. "Welcome home!"

_Home._

Willing the emotion hovering behind his Adam's apple to sink back into his belly, he wrapped his arm around her, pulling her tight against him. It was the closest they'd ever been since _genin_, and despite their storied history, they allowed themselves a moment of abandon. It meant for a bit of awkwardness after, and they hardly touched since except for innocent healing from Sakura.

Sasuke remembered the hug in their cold cabin as Sakura scooted against him. He heaved a sigh and swallowed. Sakura's back pressed into his chest. She kept a space between him and her hips, but he could feel her heightened heat radiating from her behind. Just thinking about it made that tightness in his abdomen manifest in a way that threatened to create a very embarrassing evening should Sakura shift back further. Just to be safe, Sasuke slid his hips a few inches away and drew his knees up.

After his return, he had slept on Sakura's couch. Night after night, her eager embrace replayed in his mind. It had been pleasant, even without the desire it woke, and he wondered when it would happen again. Sakura had matured, and no matter how many times he entered her apartment at the end of the day, she hadn't given into that surge of emotion since.

When the wanderlust once more took root in his soul, he decided it was for the best though it pained him to leave her behind. He'd grown fond of their little rituals. She made coffee for her and tea for him each morning. They took turns with dinner depending on her work schedule. When she was home in the evenings, she cooked while he trained with Naruto or ran an errand for Kakashi. If she worked late, he bought takeout, always with a side of her favorite sweets. They swapped stories as they ate or sat in companionable silence while reading. If she worked into the early hours of the morning, he insisted on meeting her. He knew she could handle herself in the dark; she had for years. His excuse was restlessness.

"I wanted to go for a walk anyway."

Sometimes their arms brushed as they strolled home. It always sent a delightful frisson down his spine, tempting him to reach out.

He always hesitated. He started to interpret her patience with him as platonic affection. If Sakura moved on and saw him as a brother like Naruto, then he should count his blessings for even that after everything he'd put her through. He swallowed his pride and continued to treat her with the respect a friend and hostess deserved.

Naruto didn't believe Sasuke when he said nothing sexual happened between them at Sakura's apartment.

"It's not the right time," he explained to the _dobe _over ramen two days before his departure.

His blond friend merely rolled his eyes. "Have you _tried_?"

It was rich for his dead last friend to ask that. "I'm not going to force myself on Sakura," he explained. "I'll wait for her to tell me."

He should have known. Sasuke shared his plans to leave and investigate a new lead with her over dinner. Sakura accepted it calmly, even while she worried at her lower lip. Between her lack of tears and the determined shine of her eyes, he should have guessed that when she left for work the next day, it was to make the necessary arrangements. When she returned that night, she had her own announcement.

"I'm going with you," she declared, then explained how Tsunade agreed to come out of retirement, and how Ino was going to take charge at the children's clinic. "Besides, I could use some time away!"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow at her then. "I'm not going on a vacation, Sakura."

It was the first time she blushed in front of him since his return, and it sent his heart throttling. She lowered her gaze, missing his startled expression. "Sasuke-kun… I just want to be with you. I want to help you so that you can be happy and, maybe… you'll stay in the village eventually."

The relief and vulnerability washed over him. He had to turn away. "Inns are few and far between where I go. I often sleep outside."

"I _am _a _shinobi_!" she reminded.

"I'm often cold."

"Then let me help keep you warm."

"Aa."

He faced her once more and stared into her eyes. He rediscovered the love and dedication, but also the desire there, mirroring his own. Equally startled, they stepped apart. Sasuke cleared his throat, and Sakura started babbling about what she needed to pack.

Now alone with her in this curious position, he wondered if she was finally telling him that she was prepared for more than companionship. He creased his brow, worried at his own readiness.

Aside from the banshee wind outside, it was silent within. Sasuke was grateful for the blizzard. It masked what would have been the audible click of his throat as he tried swallowing his doubts.

The dark of the cabin could not conceal much from the Uchiha. His red eye swirled to life without his bidding. Over the years, he'd worked to be the master of his body, but the blood pumping through his veins carried the same adrenaline rush that habituated the sharingan's activation. When he realized how he could detect the increased pulse along Sakura's neck, he clenched his eyes and worked to calm his nerves.

"Are you comfortable, Sasuke-kun?" she asked.

Sasuke wanted to curse at her perception. "Aa," he lied.

She rolled toward him. His efforts to blink away the sharingan were in vain as his _tomoe _spiraled, focusing on her eyes shimmering in the dark, pupils wide to collect as much light as possible.

"Sasuke, your eye-"

"It's nothing," he said, voice gruffer than intended.

"Then why-" She flinched slightly.

"It's nothing," he murmured, softer now. "The weather… has me on edge."

Sakura giggled and turned so they faced each other under the blankets. "The weather has the great Uchiha Sasuke on edge?"

He was grateful she couldn't make out his perturbed features. Her warm breath washed over him, and he could just detect the mint toothpaste she used after their dinner. His lone hand clenched as he pushed away the desire to trace her delicious lips with a finger.

"It's this arrangement, isn't it?" she asked, her voice low. She rolled away from him and sighed. "I'm sorry."

He frowned.

Her rueful giggle echoed around the nearly empty room. "I'm being annoying again, aren't I?"

"Tch."

"Yep. I am."

"It's not you." He reached for her and slid closer. He was the one at fault, never her. Never ever. After everything he'd done to her, he decided she was blameless. He pressed his chest against her back and wrapped his arm around her, pulling her to him. He was grateful her arms shielded her breasts, allowing him to avoid more awkwardness.

He thanked the universe too soon.

In his eagerness to reassure Sakura, he'd tugged her harder than intended, moving not only her back, but her lower half as well. Her behind brushed against his waist and the stiff arousal he'd been attempting to hide from her.

"Sasuke-kun…"

He clenched his eyes. _So annoying!_

**Author's Note:**

Thanks so much for all the great feedback! I really appreciate it, and I'm glad you're enjoying this story so far. I'm trying to participate in NaNoWriMo as well, but I'm having so much fun with this fanfic that I spent most of my free time working on it over my NaNo piece today!

A guest suggested that Sasuke could have used Amaterasu instead of having to use wood. I hadn't thought of that, but I can't see him resorting to something that uses so much chakra unless he felt it were absolutely necessary. He might have if Sakura hadn't suggested sharing her heightened body heat, and he actually wants an excuse to get close her anyway despite his nerves!


	3. Chapter 3

3

**Disclaimer:**

The characters and world featured in this story belong to Masashi Kishimoto. This is for entertainment purposes only.

* * *

Sakura remembered staring after Sasuke's dark back as he walked down the road out of Konoha. Her forehead prickled with warmth from where he'd placed his fingers. It spread to the rest of her body, and she never wanted to lose that sensation, even as his back vanished beyond her sight. She strained against the trees and the horizon, hoping in vain for one last glimpse.

Presently, the rough wind rattled the cabin. They were traveling together, but he seemed to have vanished from her sight again. Sasuke remained an elusive mystery, and she an annoyance.

"It's not you," he declared, suddenly engulfing her. His one arm snapped over her two, squishing them against her breasts as he pulled her to him. She first felt his firm chest beside her back. The force nearly knocked the air from her lungs. Sakura's hips followed her upper body's lead so that her legs molded against Sasuke's.

It happened quickly. She caught her breath then noticed something firm and very warm pressing into her lower back. Her first thoughts went to Sasuke's scabbard, and she was puzzled why he wore it to bed. Sasuke sucked in his breath and grew very still. Hours of anatomy lessons resurfaced in the medic's brain, and Sakura squeaked with realization.

Uchiha Sasuke was aroused.

"Sorry," he grunted. He released her, turned, and scooted to the opposite edge of his sleeping mat.

She wasn't sure how to respond. This was new territory. She'd spent years studying the human body. The last two years, her girlfriends, namely Ino, subjected her to stories of their sex lives. She'd even caved and read _Icha Icha_. None of it prepared her for the actual sensation of Sasuke's clothed erection pressed against her behind.

Even thinking about it made her gasp. The blankets rustled, his body heat withdrew, and she could tell he was curling up into a ball. The mental image would have made her giggle, but the cause still hovered over her just as the ghost of his bulge lingered against her tailbone. She rolled toward him, staring at what she suspected was his back.

"Sasuke-kun," she whispered in a soothing tone.

The silence couldn't veil his erratic pulse.

Sakura frowned. "It's okay," she ventured. "You don't need to be embarrassed. That's… it's just biological."

He grumbled in the gloom.

The blizzard howled around them, but the cabin's interior remained hushed.

Sakura nuzzled her face under the blanket and scooted an inch closer. She closed her eyes and concentrated on extending the aura of her heat so Sasuke could benefit.

After several minutes, he muttered, "That's not necessary."

"Yes, it is. I won't have you freezing and catching a cold."

"I'll be fine. I've been through worse."

"But it doesn't have to be that way. I'm here. Let me help you!"

He rolled onto his back abruptly and turned his face toward her. "I shouldn't have grabbed you like that. I'm sorry."

She wondered if he could see her surprised blinking. Sasuke's apologies were like rare bird sightings. She smiled in the direction his voice had come from.

"It's fine," she said, then blushed. "Just surprised me! Like I said, I know it's completely biological! I know it doesn't mean anything…" Her strained chuckle rose toward the ceiling in a puff.

"Tch."

She wrinkled her brow, curious at what she'd done to annoy him further. Perhaps the cold and embarrassment had him grumpy. Thirty minutes of quiet felt more like an hour. Her pulse hadn't returned to normal since brushing against her travel companion. His member had been both hard and soft all at once. Her imagination went into overdrive as she thought about what it would feel like pressed between her legs. Sasuke hadn't moved since, but the chakra of his eyes seared into her, preventing her from drifting off.

"Sasuke," she began when she couldn't take it any longer, "Are you awake?"

"Aa."

She took a breath. "I can't sleep."

"Hm. Same."

She rolled toward him. Her hand brushed his residual limb in the process. He jerked it away.

"Sorry," she muttered. The healer in her couldn't hold back. "You feel cold." She flared her body heat again.

"I said don't worry about it," he snapped.

"I can't help it!" she cried. "I worry about you all the time! When you were away, I worked myself sick as a distraction! I agonized over where you were, when I'd ever hear from you... I wanted to travel with you to help you. I thought I wouldn't worry so much now, but here I am, struggling to sleep because I'm worried about you again!"

He sighed.

Sakura continued, gentler this time. "What happened… I know it doesn't mean anything, okay? You're not going to upset me if you don't have feelings for me. I'm not the irrational genin I used to be."

"Tch." He rolled toward her. His breath puffed into her face. "Annoying."

She growled. "What does that even mean?" She moved closer, drawn like a magnet. Her fingers fisted at his shirt with frustration and something more primal.

His lone hand snatched at her wrist. His heart thumped under her grasp. "Sakura," he rasped, bowing his face toward hers. "You're wrong." His hand slid to her waist.

A flame erupted in Sakura's chest, and she temporarily lost control of her body temperature. Sasuke drew his hand away with a hiss.

"Sorry!" she cried, then repeated herself softer. She reached for his hand and found it clenched against his leg. She pumped some healing chakra into his digits. His words replayed in her mind. "Sasuke-kun… Do you… Do you have-?" Her lip trembled. The delicate words fluttered from her lips before she could say them like flower petals carried in a sultry breeze.

"Aa."

He curled his fingers around her own, drawing her hand up and out of the blanket. Her chakra continued to smolder, casting a calm glow throughout their shelter. It highlighted Sasuke's features, revealing the delicate hope in his eyes.

"Sasuke-kun," she whispered, irises wide.

The light flickered out and he pressed close to her. "Come here."

**Author's Note:**

Well, this story has thoroughly distracted me from my NaNoWriMo concept, but I'm okay with that. I continue to write every day, flexing my writing chops, and practicing my skills. I also enjoy sharing my story and receiving feedback from you, readers. I truly appreciate your comments! Waiting for news on the manuscript I sent to a publisher is difficult, so seeing that others enjoy my work is encouraging.

We're nearing the end of this short fic! I think the next chapter will be the last. I'm having fun, and getting this story written made me realize how much I miss writing about Sakura and Sasuke. I need to delve back into a sequel for "Touch" soon…

I hope you enjoy chapter 3 of "The Longest Night!" Thank you for your support. :)


	4. Chapter 4

4

**Disclaimer:**

The characters and world featured in this story belong to Masashi Kishimoto. This is for entertainment purposes only.

"You're not going to upset me if you don't have feelings for me…"

Sakura's words echoed in Sasuke's mind. He couldn't help his tongue's irritated click or his declaration that this situation was utterly annoying. How was she so perceptive about ailments and _genjitsu_, yet unable to pick up on his fondness for her?

_No_, he realized, _I did this. _

He rolled toward her and saw her pained expression.

He'd spent years putting distance between him and Team Seven, striving to sever the bonds that held him back from the chasm of anger and pain. Even after he returned to Konoha, to them, even after he touched her forehead and promised to return to her, he didn't communicate the way she wanted and deserved.

His emotions hid behind a rock wall. Naruto smashed a fist through it, allowing Sasuke's feelings to seep out. Yet now, as he directed them toward Sakura, he realized she had built up her own wall to protect her bruised heart. While hers was not as thick, she often trembled behind her barrier when it came to Sasuke. She was used to opening the door only to have it thrown back in her face.

All Sasuke needed to do was knock and enter.

"What does that even mean?" she snapped.

She gripped at his shirt, drawing near him. Her eyes were glossy with frustration and a hunger he'd never seen there. The same desire was waking in his own body, uncoiling like a snake. Her fingertips pressed into his pecs, and his heart sped.

He snatched her wrist and arched his face toward hers so she could hear him whisper, "Sakura, you're wrong."

The feelings he held for her were unlike anything he'd ever known. They were similar in depth to his childhood love of family, but they veered into new territory. These carried his mind to pink-hued fantasies of flesh and heat. He didn't feel this way for anyone else. He'd passed disreputable towns on his travels. He never stopped, but he caught glimpses of beckoning women in various states of undress. Sasuke couldn't help the tightness in his pants, but he always continued on his way. The women of the night faded in the background, yet Sakura remained at the fore of his thoughts.

Now he was alone with her. When she asked to join him, he knew, in the back of his mind, they would find themselves in this situation eventually. They'd journeyed together, growing closer in the process, and they reached a river separating their deep friendship and something more. They had to navigate across, groping in the dark.

Swallowing, he slid his hand to her waist. It seemed like a good starting point - neither too platonic nor intimate. The extra heat Sakura had been generating flared with his unexpected touch, burning Sasuke's digits. He hissed and pulled his hand away. He clenched his teeth, striving against irritation.

Sakura's fingers found his and applied cooling chakra. The slight burn healed quickly, yet she lingered. "Sasuke-kun… Do you… Do you have-?"

_I have feelings for you. _

Sasuke linked his hand with hers and pulled it from the blankets. He remembered when she saved him from Kaguya's sand dimension, and how their eyes met. He wanted to give her the opportunity to see the sincerity in his face. She whispered his name, her voice trembling at the revelation, at the sight of a bridge across the river they'd found. Her chakra dimmed with her shock.

"Come here."

This time, he pulled her to him gently. First he drew her chest to his, then he slid his hand to her lower back and moved her waist forward. She tucked her head under his chin and seemed to hold her breath. Sasuke's hand lingered on her hip, relishing in the warmth between them. He recalled moments when Sakura held him following a calamity. She was a healer then, long before she learned how to stitch flesh and bone with chakra.

Sakura's muscles relaxed. She let out a long sigh against his clavicle and snuggled closer. Sasuke allowed himself to relish in the scent and texture of her hair. They remained that way for some time, teetering between peace and uncertainty in this new territory.

She must have grown wary of having her hands pressed against his chest for they began wandering. One slid up over his shoulder then down to his hand on her hip, only to slip back up along the fabric clothing his arm. She repeated the motion, and Sasuke enjoyed the silky sensation of her caress.

Sasuke left the curve of her hip and brushed his fingers up her side, enjoying the mutual shiver. Her hands settled where his neck sloped into shoulders. She leaned back slightly, straining to see his face in the dark. He brought his hand up to slide some of her hair behind an ear. He grew still as he took in her beauty. Her eyes were hooded, her cheeks flushed, her lips… His Adam's apple bobbed.

On his journey, he imbibed alcohol when his hosts offered. Some villages didn't have clean drinking water, so it was the best alternative to accompany his meals. Even the less boozy ciders reserved for the underage made his brain fuzzy. Cuddling with Sakura had the same effect. As he relaxed into her warmth, she dismantled the chains he'd wrapped around himself.

Hand lingering on her check, he dipped his face toward hers so that their noses touched. She gasped in surprise. One of her hands brushed up his neck and down to cradle his chin. She stroked his cheek with her thumb.

"Sasuke-kun," she breathed.

She could utter his name a dozen different ways, and this, he knew, was an invitation. His lips met hers, softly at first, then again and again. Each kiss was an intoxicating sip, and he soon lost himself in passion's demands. His tongue slipped over hers, tasting her minty breath. A throaty groan rose from his throat, and he bucked against her.

Sasuke and Sakura grew still and quiet as they processed the development. They remained close enough to feel the other's pulse and panting chest.

Sakura repeated his name, softer, to pacify any doubts rushing through his thoughts. Her left hand settled on his right hip. Her thumb rubbed a circle over his bone. Heat pooled in his loins and he sighed into her hair.

"Sorry," he croaked. "I lost control for a moment."

"It's okay," she whispered. "I liked it."

A puff of laughter escaped him. Sasuke was glad she couldn't see his hot face. He felt plenty warm - too warm, honestly. His residual limb began to ache from the pressure of lying on his left side this whole time.

"I need to move," he murmured. He sat up and pulled off his shirt. He rolled onto his back and drew her to him. "Come here."

She snuggled against his side, but he pulled her. "Get on top of me," he urged, his voice husky.

Sakura placed her hands on either side of his head and hovered over him. Her knees remained on the floor beside his waist. She bit her bottom lip. Sasuke noticed her trembling, so he sat up and kissed her.

"Sakura," he said, "Are you okay?"

Her green eyes sought him through the shadows. "Yes…"

"You're hesitating." He frowned. "Did I do something wrong?" It pained him to ask, but it wouldn't have been a shock given their history. A hard mass of guilt rose in his throat.

"No! Not at all!" she said. Sakura reached out and felt up his chest and neck until she found his cheek. "I just… I wish I could see you. I've dreamed of this moment for years, and I'd really love to see everything like you."

Sasuke sighed. His sex was stiff with want, but he would wait. "Aa. I understand."

Sakura remained inches above his face. "Are you angry?"

He chuckled. "No. I'm… uncomfortable right now, but it will pass. Your comfort is more important to me."

"Sasuke-kun…" Using her fingers as navigation, she located his cheek and kissed him, then pressed light kisses along his face until she found his lips. She lingered there, tasting him.

He groaned into her mouth and pulled her down so her breasts rested against him.

"Sakura," he panted, "You're tempting me…"

She giggled and rolled to lounge beside him. "You have no idea how amazing it is to hear you say that!"

The storm outside calmed. The wind sighed through the trees instead of rattling the cabin. Sasuke and Sakura cuddled beneath their blankets. Her hand rested over his bare chest. He was simultaneously content and restless.

"Sakura."

"Hm?" She was falling asleep against him.

"Tomorrow we'll walk to the nearest village and rent a room at an inn."

In the meantime, tonight promised to be a long night.

**Author's Note:**

I appreciate your patience. My updates slowed because my husband and I had the flu. I'm finally starting to feel like myself again, so I finished revisions on chapter 4. This fic will be slightly longer than planned, but not by much. I hope you enjoy this chapter, and I hope it clarifies the dialog from ch 3. Some people were confused about what Sakura meant when she said, "Sasuke-kun… Do you… Do you have-?" She was indeed asking if he had feelings for her, based on an earlier line of dialog where she said, "You're not going to upset me if you don't have feelings for me." Thanks again for reading and showing support!


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